Summits to the Sea

This is a walk that links the mountains with the sea. It starts in La Preste, the highest village of the Haute Vallespir valley, high on the frontier between France and Spain. Each day you will be travelling downhill and getting a little nearer to the "Big Blue", as the Mediterranean is called in these parts. The route follows a series of waymarked paths through the heavily scented maquis to the seaport of Banyuls, home of the great French sculptor Aristide Maillol, and renowned for its famous aperitif wine. On your way you will be able to sample the wines of Roussillon, delicious local honeys, and the Catalan cuisine.

Travel Information

First hotel: At La Preste, which is remote and only reachable by private transport from Perpignan. No public transport. Car parking is available adjacent to the first hotel free of charge. There is also no public transport back to the start point at La Preste, from the last night's stop at Banyuls. You would need to book a transfer that needs to be booked and paid in advance, for approx £75 per transfer.

Season: late April to mid-October, please note that it is very hot in this area in August and it is better to avoid this month.

Accommodation & Meals

Accommodation is on a half board basis (evening meal and breakfast) in country inns (mostly 2*). Picnic lunches on walking days are not included in the tour cost.

Most frequently used hotels are described below but alternatives are used on occasion when room availability is limited. In early season (until 31 May) and late season (from 16 Sept) the crossing into Spain may not be feasible and alternative accommodation of similar standard on the French side is substituted.

Night 1: La Preste les Bains. Mainland France's most southerly hotel (3*) harks back to another era. It was a noted health resort where the radioactive hot springs were and probably still are the ultimate cure for colibacillose (Ecoli).

Night 2: Mollo (in Spain, 1182m above sea level). Our usual accommodation is a 29-room hostal (pension) in a real Spanish village with views over the Pyrenean foothills and with good Catalan and international food.

Night 3: Prats-de-Mollo. 2* accommodation. Either a small Logis de France hotel and restaurant with a well-qualified chef in the shadow of the walls of the old fortified village or another hotel of similar size and standard.

Night 4: Arles sur Tech. Founded by the Bassole family in 1893 this comfortable hotel (2* Logis de France) continues to specialise in fine Catalan cuisine in its terrace restaurant. In contrast to the mediaeval streets that surround it, the hotel offers every modern comfort and a peaceful garden where you can relax after the days walk.

Night 5: Amelie-les-Bains. A fairly large 2* hotel with 63 rooms with private facilities, balcony, telephone, TV.The lounge has an open fireplace.

Night 6: Le Boulou. Tonight we have to leave the mountains. Our large modern hotel (2*) is not the type we normally choose, but it does have a swimming pool and you still have views of Pic Neolous and Pic Canigou. It also has a pleasant garden running down to the river Tech.

Night 7: Banyuls-sur-Mer. Here we may use either of two different hotels, both 2* with 'gastronomique' restaurants. One is a 29-room family run hotel by the seashore with a terrace restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean. Rooms have private facilities and TV. The other hotel is smaller, with 13 rooms, all with private facilities, direct telephone and satellite TV. Here to there is a shaded terrace overlooking the water.

Level of Difficulty

Fitness: This walk is best described as moderate but should present no difficulties for anyone in reasonable condition and accustomed to walking.

Day stages: 4 of the day stages are 5 to 6 hours, and there are two longish days of 6-7 hours. An overnight change of clothes also has to be carried on two days because one hotel is not accessible by road.

Waymarks: The trail follows in the main the GR10 and other well-established paths and presents no special difficulties. Waymarking is sparse in one or two places and a reasonable facility with map reading is required.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive La Preste.

Day 2: From La Preste (1000m) we make our way up the forested slopes of the Haut Vallespir valley to the Col de Siern (1629m) on the Franco-Spanish frontier, with fine views west to the Pic de Costabonne (2465m). We descend on the Spanish side and follow the Rio Ritort valley down to the village of Mollo (1000m). 5-6 hours walking. Altitude gain 529m; loss 490m.

Day 3: From Mollo we take a more Easterly route to return to France, following the Torrente de Fabert to recross the frontier at Collado des Prats (1596m), from where we descend a ridge between forested ravines to Prats de Mollo. 5.5-6 hours walking. Altitude gain 600m; loss 830m.

Day 4: We again start with a road transfer to Pla Boula (900m), high up on the south flank of the Vallespir. A fine ridge walk takes us via Serre de la Garsa (1212m) to Pilon de Belmatx (1280m). At Col des Paracolls (902m) we join the GR10 coast-to coast Pyrenean long distance trail to descend to Arles-sur-Tech(300m). 7 hours walking. Altitude gain 250m; loss 920m.

Day 5: An easy day at low altitude, following delightful paths on the north side of the Vallespir with a chance to visit the fine church at Montbolo on the way to Amelie-les-Bains. 3-4 hours waking. Altitude gain 380m; loss 480m.

Day 6: A short road transfer to Chapelle St Paul, followed by a walk via the famous Pont du Diable (Devil's Bridge) over the River Tech and up to the Ermitage St Ferreol. Then a traverse to the tiny village of Vives and the viewpoint of Puig Sangli (209m) and down to Le Boulou. 5 hours walking. Altitude gain 150m; loss 250m. 

Day 7: A half days walk (about 4 hours), which leaves you some time to look around Banyuls Sur Mer, it is mostly downhill. We start with a drive up to the hermitage of Notre dame de Consolation. From here we follow yellow waymarks to the Col des Gascons (386m) following the red and white marked GR10 along the main Pyrenean ridge via La Madeloc signal station to our destination at Banyuls-sur-Mer. Altitude gain 254m; loss 656m.